Chapter 9 - THE LAST MOVEThey found Arthur at an abandoned hotel once owned by the Cole-Bennett group.
He stood in the lobby.
Older.
Elegant.
Calm.
“Grace.”
She stared.
“You destroyed my marriage.”
Arthur smiled.
“No. Ethan did that.”
“You used him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He trusted you.”
Grace froze.
Arthur continued.
“He believed you were too kind to fight.”
Martin stepped forward.
“It's over.”
Arthur laughed.
“You think documents end this?”
He raised a phone.
“Your father left something behind.”
A video appeared.
Grace's father sat behind a desk.
He looked older.
Tired.
“Grace, if you're watching this, Arthur has probably made his move.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Her father continued.
“I knew he wanted control of the company.”
The video showed him placing a document into a safe.
“But I couldn't stop him alone.”
Grace cried silently.
“I created the Bennett trust because I knew one day my daughter would have to choose between protecting the family name and protecting herself.”
Her father smiled.
“Choose yourself.”
The video ended.
Arthur's face hardened.
“You see? Even your father chose business.”
“No.”
Grace looked at him.
“He chose me.”
Arthur raised his weapon.
Martin stepped in front of her.
Police sirens erupted outside.
Arthur froze.
Grace had recorded everything.
The confession.
The threats.
The financial scheme.
Arthur was arrested.
Ethan was arrested the following morning.
The empire collapsed.
But Grace didn't celebrate.
She simply stood outside the courthouse as Ethan was led away.
He looked at her.
For one final moment, their eyes met.
Eleven years.
Gone.
Grace felt nothing.
Then Martin took her hand.
“You okay?”
She smiled.
“Not yet.”
He squeezed her fingers.
“But someday?”
May you like
Grace looked toward the sunrise.
“Maybe.”
